Diamond 9Opportunitiesin your classroomTechniques for Every LessonFact treesFive facts (hand)KWL gridsMind mappingPost-itsSenses chartsStory gridsWord limit activitiesWriting framesWhat do we KNOW? What do we WANT to find out? What have we LEARNED?ProjectsThe future of Gifted and Talented

Good teaching of Able and Talented pupils involves:

A high degree of subject knowledgeThe capacity to envisage and organise unusual projectsand approaches which catch pupils’ attention.The confidence to try out new ideas, to take risks and be prepared to respond to leads which look most likely to develop higher levels of thinking by pupils. Communicating an enthusiasm for the subject. Keeping alive pupils’ belief in their own capabilities.Able language learners are likely to:

display curiosity about language have a natural feel for languages, for example, often 'getting it right' first time when deciding how to pronounce new words pick up new language and structures quickly make frequent connections, for example, spotting new patterns or classifying words as an aid to memorisation have a strong desire to put language together by themselves, for example, by extending sentences or by applying what they have learnt to new contexts show creativity and imagination when using language, for example, by initiating conversation or providing original extended answers rather than merely imitating the models they have met have an insight into how they like to learn and are thus able to learn more efficiently enjoy learning independently are often interested in culture have exceptional and sustained inner motivation for language learning.Whether more-able pupils are taught in sets, in mixed-ability classes or in vertical groups, they will display a range of interests, aptitudes and capabilities. In everyday lessons teachers can meet some of their needs by:

Teachers can help create lifelong language learners as opposed to people who merely know something of a language:

by supporting explicit analysis of language, it satisfies more-able pupils' curiosity by providing clear tools for progression, it helps pupils generate language more independently and use what they know in more flexible and creative ways by encouraging pupils to be daring with language through promoting the learning of grammar not for its own sake but as a tool for more-successful communication by responding to more-able language learners' interest in culture via the Intercultural understanding strand and by suggesting that contexts for learning in the other Framework strands provide opportunities for exploring aspects of the life and culture of countries and communities where the language is spoken.